No difference between Census and NPR, claims Kishan Reddy
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy claimed that there is no much difference between the Census exercise and National Population Register (NPR) and the Centre has decided to conduct the Census Exercise from 2021.
Hyderabad: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy claimed that there is no much difference between the Census exercise and National Population Register (NPR) and the Centre has decided to conduct the Census Exercise from 2021.
Addressing the media here on Monday, he said preparations are already underway to carry out the Census and NPR together.
He said some people are making different statements that they would not implement it in some States. Some others are saying they would decide its implementation after taking a decision in the cabinet.
But, "The Census exercise falls under the Union list -69 of the constitution, backed by the 1948 Census Act and 1990 Census Rules.
No one can say that he would not implement and even the government officials given the responsibility cannot reject the census duties," he added.
He said that the housing Census will be carried ahead in 2020 ahead of the population enumeration which will be taken up in 2021.
The housing census will be held from Apil to September 2020 and the population enumeration will be taken up from February 9 to 28, 2021, he added.
Unlike earlier, Kishan Reddy said the Census exercise will be carried out across the country in both the digital and paper mode.
The Union minister said, "Training for the staff at state and district levels has been completed and the offices of Registrar general and Directorate have been started in 28 States and 5 Union Territories in the country.
The data collection could be collected through a mobile application. Where there is no mobile connectivity, the staff can use a paper schedule to collect the data.
Similarly, we are also considering giving an opportunity to the individual citizens to update their details online as part of introducing self enumeration.
That apart, a Census Web Portal (CWP) is launched for collection and monitoring of data collection by the field staff, he said.
Further, for the delimitation of parliamentary and Assembly constituencies, making budgetary allocations, figuring out gaps which need to be addressed, allocations for the States for education, welfare and other activities based on authentic data, he said.
Further, it is not the first time that NPR is being introduced and it was already carried out in 2011 under the UPA government, he claimed.
He also clarified that the Centre has not announced any schedule or decision on the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Further, "The allegation of plotting to jail, scrap citizenship rights and deport certain section of Indian citizens is impossible. Neither there is any such provision in the constitution nor did any law empower the government to do so."
He said some political parties, certain pseudo-intellectuals are making malicious propaganda on Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Without naming Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Kishan Reddy said a person without knowing the difference between CAA, NPR, NRC and GST are heading the 150-years of the Congress party.
The Minister challenged the Congress president to prove how CAA and NPR are detrimental to any Indian citizen.
